Tablet powers off when rear camera covered

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My Note 8.0 powers off when the rear camera is covered. As I have a book type cover and like to fold the front right back so it doesn't flop around this behaviour is a pain. It wasn't so bad under ICS as I could just power it back on and enter my unlock code but under JB it doesn't accept any input at all. A reasonably thorough search of the manual doesn't provide any clues and Google hasn't been any help either. Has anyone else noticed this behaviour, found a work-round, etc?
 

B. Diddy

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The Note 8.0 has a smartcover functionality, much like the Nexus 7 and the iPads. There's a small magnetic sensor somewhere (on the Nexus 7, it's along the left bezel when holding it in portrait) that detects a magnet in the smartcover's front cover, such that when the cover is closed, the magnet activates the sensor and triggers the screen to go off (so you don't have to fiddle with the power button). When you open the cover, the sensor knows it, and the tablet wakes from sleep without having to press the power button again.

Sometimes, the magnet in these smartcovers is too strong, so when you fold it back, it still activates the sensor. You can either find a new cover, try to remove the magnet from your current cover, or just use a conventional cover (without a magnet).
 

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Thanks very much for that. It certainly seems to be the cause and I've just detected a magnet in the cover. It's about an inch in from the spine and 40% down, under the word 'Note'....
I suppose the question now is how to know if any new case has a magnet or not.
 

B. Diddy

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Just go to Amazon and search for "Galaxy Note 8.0 case," and start looking at reviews. You might want to sort by lowest price first, since the cases without the smartcover feature will be cheaper. There are some as cheap as $4, so you don't have much to lose!

Here's one with a smartcover feature for $5 that gets pretty good reviews, without any significant complaints about the magnet.
Amazon.com: Fintie Slim Fit Folio Case Cover Support Automatic Sleep/Wake Feature for Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 inch Tablet GT-N5100 / N5110 - Black: Computers & Accessories
 

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Unfortunately that one's not available on Amazon UK and our market is so small relative to yours that not many cases have any, let alone a meaningful number of, reviews.
The case I have is strange as the magnet does not activate the smart cover function from the front, only the back! I may have to resort to a scalpel....
 

B. Diddy

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Does that leather latch on your case also seem to secure magnetically? If so, how is the latch positioned when you fold the cover back? If the latch has a magnet as well, and if it's in the right position when folded back, maybe that is contributing to triggering the sensor as well.

You could always ask the eBay seller if the case has a smartcover feature. Of course, they might be totally clueless as well!
 

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